SECURIGARD
Presentation of the rangeReglementations
On flat roof-edges, Permanent and collective means of fall protection are the only means to guarantee on the long run the safety of workers (maintenance personnel, roofers,.)
All roofing systems require :
Cleaning
- Periodic Removal of leaves and debris from entire roof
- Gutters, Rooflights etc
Inspection
- Upstands, flashings, Rooflights, smoke extractors, ...
Maintenance
- Essential requirement to uphold warranties
- Ventilation fans, lifts, antennas, ...
Repair
- Glass replacement, Cladding Panels, Post storm for example
The provision of protection against falling from height is a legal requirement
The system selection process is defined by law
- Fall prevention systems are legally preferable to fall arrest systems
- Collective systems are legally preferable to personal systems :
The Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require employers to ensure :
- Risk assessments are carried out for all works prior to them commencing
- Control Measures (systems, instruction & training) must be put in place to safeguard against the risks identified
- Collective protective measures priority over individual protective measures
The Work at Height Regulations introduced in April 2005 require duty holders to ensure :
Reg 7 : Give collective protection measures priority...
"...When selecting equipment for work at height you must :
. use the most suitable equipment
. give collective protection measures (eg Guard rails) priority over personal protection measures (eg safety harnesses) "
Reg 6 : hierarchy of measures
. Avoid work at height
. Work from an existing place
The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 require designers to :
Design out risk at source - construction, maintenance & demolition;
This is achieved by :
- Elimination of the hazard
- Reducing risks from remaining hazards
- Providing information on remaining risks
In doing so designers are required to give collective measures priority over individual measures.
What is PERSONAL PROTECTION :
will protect few workers at a time, require high cost of equipment maintenance and user training.
What is COLLECTIVE PROTECTION :
"Collective protection does not depend on worker to use or not the fall protection system: It is the protection of the worker despite himself". Guardrails will protect many workers at a time and require no maintenance and no training of the users.
Why protect ? Fall from height remains the largest cause of fatalities at work.
Summary
Health & Safety Legislation is goal setting, not prescriptive.
- The overriding principle is that of risk reduction;
- In the event of prosecution the burden of proof lies with the defendant;
- Maintenance work has, does and will always be carried out on roofs;
- Duty holders are legally bound to protect workers from falling when working on roofs;
- Designers must integrate fall protection into their designs ;
- The system selection process is defined by law
.Fall prevention systems are legally preferable to fall arrest systems
.Collective systems are legally preferable to personal systems
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